Golf chipping and putting target including ball return means



Aug. 24, 1965 A. s. RICHMAN GOLF GHIPPING AND PUTTING TARGET INCLUDINGBALL RETURN MEANS Filed April 11, 1962 INVENTOR.

ALfiERT .5. R/CHMA/V ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,202,429 GOLFCHIPPING AND PUTTING TARGET 1 INCLUDING BALL RETUM MEANS Albert S.Richman, 908 E. McPherson St.,

Philadelphia '50, Pa. Filed Apr. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 186,782 6 Claims.(Cl. 273-'182) In general, my invention relatesto a new, simple golfpractice device. More particularly, it relates to a simple golf practicedevice useful for putting, pitching and chipping practice.

' In the past, a golf practice device which had the capabilities of usefor putting, pitching or chipping was quite large, complicated,expensive and usually could not be easily moved once set up.

It is a general object of this invention to avoid and overcome theforegoing difiiculties of and objections to the prior art practices bythe provision of a better and simpler golf practice device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a golf practice devicewhich can be made from cardboard or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple golf practicedevice for putting, pitching or chipping in which there is provided acommon ball return.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple golf practicedevice which may be used indoors or outdoors with equal convenience.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple golfpractice device for putting, pitching or chipping which is lightweightand portable.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a golf practice device made inaccordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front sectional elevational view taken along lines 2-2 ofthe embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional elevational view taken along lines 3-3 ofthe embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 shows a blank for one part of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like numerals indicate likeelements.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a golf practice device made in accordancewith the present invention. The golf practice device 10 consists of abottom box shaped enclosure having side walls 12 and 14, bottom wall 15,front wall 16 and back wall 22. The front wall 16 has a putting opening18 at the bottom thereof and a chipping opening 20 in the centerthereof. Within the box 11 there is placed a cardboard piece 23. Boththe box 11 and the piece 23 are preferably made of a hard paper such ascardboard. The piece 23 consists of an isosceles trapezoidal backportion 24 forming a chute in the box running from the top of the backportion 22 of the box 11 to the bottom of the putt hole 18. Triangularside walls 26 and 28 complete the chute within the box 11. A backwall 30extends upwardly from the wide end of the chute backpiece 24. The upperend of the back piece 30 is integrally connected with a top portion 32extending upwardly and forwardly of the back of the golf prac ticedevice.

The top portion 32 is shaped like an isosceles trapezoid with the endsof its longest side being attached by wires 34 and 36 to the top frontcorners of the box 11. The

' wires 34 and 36 aid in maintaining the device as an integral unit. Thewires 34 and 36 pass through the bottom of box 11 to form legs 38 and40. The chute side portions 26 and 28 are attached to the side walls 14and 12, respectively, of the box 11. The back wall 22 also attaches tothe blank 23. The back wall 22 need only be made as large as isnecessary for support of blank 23.

One method of making the blank 23 is shown in FIG- URE 4. In FIGURE'4,there is shown a piece of cardboard cut out to form the blank 23. Theblank 23 consists of the rectangular back wall 30 having an isoscelestrapezoidal extension 32 extending from fold line 50 on the back portion30. The line 50 is preferably grooved for ease in folding. A similargrooved line 52 separates another isosceles trapezoidal portion 24 whichis adapted to be the back portion of the chute. The side portions of thechute are formed along grooved lines 54 and 56 forming the non-parallelsides of the chute 24. The chute side walls 26 and 28 are triangular inshape with their longest side being integral with the non-parallel sides56 and 54, respectively, of the chute back portion 24.

The isosceles trapezoidal top portion 32 has a flap 44 extendingtherefrom with an adhesive coating 46 along one end thereof. A groovedline 48 separates the flap 44 from the top portion 32. The flap 44 isutilized to form with the top portion 32 an opening wherein the wires 34and 36 may be placed to better secure the top portion.

The operation of the golf practice device of the present invention is asfollows:

Legs 38 and 40 which are extensions of wires 34 and 36 are placed in theground to secure the golf practice device 10. The legs 38 and 40 areslidable upwardly by raising the top portion 32 and wires 34 and 36 sothat the golf practice device 10 may be utilized indoors. For use inputting, a golf ball may be placed any distance from the golf practicedevice 10 with the object of the golfer being to roll the ball along theground or floor into the putt hole 18.

For pitching or chipping, the golfer would place the ball a few feetfrom the golf practive device 10 and attempt to hit the ball through thechip hole 20 or through the pitch opening 42 defined by the box 11, thewires 34 and 36 and the top portion 32. For chipping, a golfer wouldprobably be likely to use a middle iron, while for pitching, a club withgreater loft, such as a nine iron, would be desirable.

The top 32 and back 30 stop balls passing through the pitch opening 42and chip hole 20 forcing them to drop into the chute formed by the packportion 24 and side portions 26 and 28. Thus, balls which enter the putthole 18, the chip hole 20 or the pitch opening 42 will all be returnedby the chute through the putt hole 18.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirt or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A golf practice device comprising a box having front, back and sidewalls, said front wall being the foremost wall of said device, said boxhaving a first opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge of saidfront wall intermediate said side Walls, a second larger opening abovesaid first opening, a one-piece blank secured in said box, said blankincluding an isosceles trapezoidal section having one parallel sidethereof adjacent to the bottom of said first opening and the otherparallel side thereof adjacent said back wall and above said oneparallel side, said blank having integral triangular sections extendingangularly, outwardly, upwardly from the nonparallel sides of saidisosceles trapezoidal section, said triangular sections secured to saidfront and side walls, said trapezoidal section and triangular sectionsdefining a chute, said blank also including a back and top portion, saidback portion extending upwardly and said front portion extendingforwardly from the said other parallel side of said isoscelestrapezoidal section secured to the top of said back wall, and means tosupport said top portion above said box; said top portion and supportmeans defininga third pitch opening larger than and above said first andsecond openings.

2. The golf practice device of claim 1 wherein said box and said blankare formed of a hard paper material.

3. A golf practice device comprising a box including a front foremostwall of said device and side Walls, said front wall having a first puttopening extending upwardly from the bottom edge thereof and intermediatesaid side Walls, a second chip opening larger than and above said firstopening, an angularly disposed chute in said box extending from the topportion of said box rearward of said front wall to the bottom of saidfirst opening, a back portion extending upwardly from the upper end ofsaid chute and a top portion extending from said back portion above saidbox, and means for supporting said top portion above said box, saidsupporting means and top portion defining a third'pitch opening largerthan and above said first and second openings, said chute being in opencommunication with said first, second and third openings and beingadapted to deliver golf balls which may pass through said openings tosaid first opening.

4. The golf practice device of claim 3 wherein said supporting meanscomprises wire elements extending from said top portion to said box.

5. The golf practice device of claim 3 wherein said supporting meanscomprises wire elements extending from said top portion to a point belowthe bottom of said box, said wire means being secured to the side wallsof said box thereby forming legs for said golf practice device.

6. The golf practice device of claim 1 wherein said support meanscomprises wire elements extending downwardly adjacent said box to apoint below said box, said wire elements being secured to said box,whereby said wire elements also form legs for said box.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 724,920 4/03McKelvey 273-1021 768,397 8/04 Norton et a1 273-102 1,262,314 4/18Downey 273-103 1,341,628 6/20 Bourne 273-105 X 1,620,399 3/27 Smith273-103 1,683,875 9/28 Duffy et al. 273-178 1,745,201 1/30 -Alston 1273-182 2,027,273 1/36 Forhan 273-1021 2,672,345 3/54 Scott -1 273-10213,100,642 8/63 Goldstein 273-105 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,664 12/29 Australia.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

3. A GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE COMPRISING A BOX INCLUDING A FRONT FOREMOSTWALL OF SAID DEVICE AND SIDE WALLS, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING A FIRST PUTTOPENING EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF AND INTERMEDIATESAID SIDE WALLS, A SECOND CHIP OPENING LARGER THAN AND ABOVE SAID FIRSTOPENING, AN ANGULARLY DISPOSED CHUTE IN SAID BOX EXTENDING FROM THE TOPPORTION OF SAID BOX REARWARD OF SAID FRONT WALL TO THE BOTTOM OF SAIDFIRST OPENING, A BACK PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE UPPER END OFSAID CHUTE AND A TOP PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID BACK PORTION ABOVE SAIDBOX, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID TOP PORTION ABOVE SAID BOX, SAIDSUPPORTING MEANS AND TOP PORTION DEFINING A THIRD PITCH OPENING LATERTHAN AND ABOVE SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS, SAID CHUTE BEING IN OPENCOMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD OPENINGS AND BEINGADAPTED TO DELIVER GOLF BALLS WHICH MAY PASS THROUGH SAID OPENINGS TOSAID FIRST OPENING.